3D Printing Tips and Tricks

What are the most popular types of 3D printers?

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling)
- Extrudes thermoplastic filaments.
- The most popular and affordable type.
SLA (Stereolithography)
- Cures liquid resin into hardened plastic.
- The type dentists use to print prostheses.

What is the process from sketch to physical?

Modelling
- Uses a CAD application to generate the design and export it to an .stl file.
- Popular open-source apps:
  - OpenSCAD [Link]
    - ```
    sudo snap install openscad
```
- FreeCAD [Link]
  - ```
  sudo snap install freecad --stable
```
  - LibreCAD [Link]
    - ```
    sudo snap install librecad
```

Slicing

Slices the model from the .stl file into horizontal layers with all the movements the printer must perform, and outputs a .gcode file.

Popular open-source apps:

Ultimaker Cura [Link]

sudo snap install cura-slicer
sudo snap connect cura-slicer:mount-observe
sudo snap connect cura-slicer:removable-media

Prusa Slicer [Link]

sudo snap install prusa-slicer
sudo snap connect prusa-slicer:removable-media
sudo snap connect prusa-slicer:mount-observe
sudo snap connect prusa-slicer:udisks2
sudo snap connect prusa-slicer:raw-usb

Slic3r [Link]

Printing
- The 3D printer reads the .gcode file and follows the instructions directly, with minimal onboard processing.
- Popular open-source firmware:
  - Marlin [Link]
  - Repetier-Firmware [Link]
  - Klipper [Link]

How to add the 3D printer to the network?

OctoPrint [Link]
- A popular app commonly installed on a Raspberry Pi using a dedicated image called OctoPi.
- It lets you control the printer remotely, create timelapse videos, and add advanced features through plugins from an online repository.

What equipment and materials should I buy?

Definitely an FDM printer:
- They start from $200 USD and the most popular model is the Creality Ender 3.
- Look for a printer with a PEI or glass bed.
- Auto bed leveling is highly recommended.
- A full metal extruder is affordable and much more durable.
- Choose an open-source-based printer. It allows you to fully troubleshoot, repair, and mod without vendor restrictions.
Filaments:
- PLA is the simplest filament type to print with.
- The vendor will usually specify a recommended temperature range, typically around 200°C.
- It is fairly strong but can be brittle.
- 100% fan speed is recommended for quick cooling and a better finish.
A Raspberry Pi with OctoPrint:
- Not required, but strongly recommended for network connectivity, remote monitoring, and access to advanced features.

MATERIALS

Filament material parameters and properties comparison:

PLA
- Printing Temperature: 180°C to 220°C (recommended 200°C).
- Bed Temperature: 50°C to 60°C (recommended 50°C).
- Cooling: 100%
- Printing Speed: 50 to 60 mm/s for best quality.
- Characteristics: easy to print, minimal warping, low odor. Best suited for objects that will not be exposed to sunlight, high temperatures, or mechanical stress.
ABS
- Printing Temperature: 230°C to 260°C (recommended 240°C).
- Bed Temperature: 90°C to 110°C (recommended 90°C).
- Cooling: 0% for the first few layers, minimal afterward (recommended disabled).
- Printing Speed: 40 to 50 mm/s for best quality.
- Characteristics: durable, impact-resistant, and able to withstand higher temperatures. Good for functional parts, but emits potentially harmful fumes during printing, so proper ventilation is important.
- Notes: suitable for parts used up to 100°C. Soluble in acetone, which is great for improving the final surface finish. This is also the material used to make LEGO bricks. Easier to sand to a matte finish than PETG. May need a brim for better bed adhesion (5 mm recommended), as it shrinks about 4 times more than PLA when cooling. An enclosure is mandatory.
PETG
- Printing Temperature: 220°C to 250°C
- Bed Temperature: 70°C to 80°C
- Cooling: moderate
- Printing Speed: 40 to 60 mm/s for best quality.
- Characteristics: combines the best properties of PLA and ABS. Durable, with good layer adhesion and more flexibility than PLA. Also less prone to warping than ABS. A solid choice for functional parts that need some flexibility and durability.
- Notes: suitable for parts used up to 80°C. Performance is similar to ABS but with little to no smell.

BONUS

GCODE commands for the start:

; Automatic bed leveling
G29

GCODE commands for the end:

; Beep for 500 milliseconds
M300 500

To integrate AppImage files from Cura or Prusa Slicer into the Ubuntu Desktop menu:

nano ~/.local/share/applications/Cura.desktop

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Cura
Exec="/home/userName/Downloads/UltiMaker-Cura-5.4.0-linux-modern.AppImage" %U
Icon=/home/userName/.local/cura.png
Categories=Application;

Note: remember to replace userName, make the AppImage file executable, and use the full path.

The 128×128 icons can be found at:

wget -O ~/.local/cura.png "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/18035735/48554277-46064580-e8de-11e8-8c4c-b682081a2219.png"
wget -O ~/.local/prusa.png "https://icon-icons.com/downloadimage.php?id=189809&root=3053/PNG/128/&file=prusa_slicer_macos_bigsur_icon_189809.png"

SEE ALSO

OctoPrint [Link]